Premier League Panel confirms Gabriel did not deserve red card for Martinez incident
Arsenal defender Gabriel has been cleared of any wrongdoing after the Premier League’s KMI Panel unanimously backed the decision not to send him off for his clash with Emiliano Martinez.
Arsenal defender Gabriel will face no retrospective punishment after the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel unanimously ruled that his early clash with Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez did not warrant a red card.
The incident occurred during Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month, when Gabriel’s boot caught Martinez in the face during a crowded scramble for the ball inside the penalty area.
Referee Chris Kavanagh allowed play to continue and VAR Darren England did not recommend a review, but the decision sparked debate after replays showed the contact with Martinez’s head.
The independent five-member KMI Panel has now backed the match officials, concluding that Gabriel’s action did not amount to violent conduct or serious foul play.
The panel pointed to the number of players competing for the loose ball and determined that the defender was attempting to play it rather than deliberately targeting Martinez.
The verdict confirms that the original decision was correct under the panel’s assessment. The ruling comes after Arsenal’s 2-1 win, in which Chelsea took an early lead through Morgan Rogers before Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard completed the comeback.
The decision adds another chapter to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding Premier League refereeing and VAR.
